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- The Powers That Be. 1992–1993. Though largely forgotten, this sharp political satire set in the household of U.S. Senator William Powers (a post-Dynasty John Forsyth) is notable for its ensemble cast of future A-listers, including Holland Taylor as the senator’s socially ambitious shark of a wife, David Hyde Pierce as their quietly suicidal congressman son-in-law and Joseph Gordon-Levitt as their wise-beyond-his years son.
- The Facts of Life. 1979–1988. Not a hands-on Norman Lear show, this coming-of-age sitcom was one of the most successful projects from his production company, starring Charlotte Rae as Mrs. Edna Garrett, housemother to a memorably diverse ensemble of private-school students played by Kim Fields, Lisa Whelchel, Mindy Cohn and Nancy McKeon.
- One Day at a Time. 2017–2020. The 1970s hit One Day at a Time was reimagined more than 30 years later as a vibrant celebration of a Cuban-American family, led by the dynamic Justina Machado as Penelope Alvarez, a former Army nurse dealing with PTSD issues while raising her son and daughter (whose love interest was non-binary).
- One Day at a Time. 1975–1984. To show how far TV had come during Norman Lear’s reign in the 1970s, remember that Mary Tyler Moore was discouraged from making her character of Mary Richards a divorcee when developing The Mary Tyler Moore Show.
- All in the Family (1971–1979), Archie Bunker's Place (1979–1983) Not only the greatest show creator Norman Lear had anything to do with, and the one that made his style a name brand, "All in the Family" could be considered one of the top sitcoms ever made – Rolling Stone, TV Guide, and Parade certainly think it is.
- The Jeffersons (1975–1985) From the first strains of its all-time classic theme song, viewers know that "The Jeffersons" is a very special entry in TV sitcom history.
- Sanford and Son (1972–1977) Redd Foxx was a lightning bolt of comic energy, a legendary club comedian and recording star for years before Norman Lear helped bring him to TV with the perfect project: "Sanford and Son," an Americanized remake of the popular British sitcom "Steptoe and Son."
- Mary Hartman, Mary Hartman (1976–1977) / Forever Fernwood (1977–1978) Easily the silliest and most irony-soaked show in the canon of the usually straightforward Norman Lear, "Mary Hartman, Mary Hartman" was one of the first big spoofs of soap operas, which had crossed the line from melodramatic into baffling and bizarre by the time this tongue-in-cheek comedy debuted in 1976.
- All in the Family. If forced to pick one show to represent Norman Lear's career, it would be All in the Family (in fact we did, including it in our 100 best TV shows of all time list).
- Fernwood 2 Night. Fernwood 2 Night did not have the longevity of some of Lear's other TV shows, but we'd be remiss to not include it because it served as one of the first true starring vehicles for two beloved comedians — Martin Mull and Fred Willard.
- Good Times. Created by Eric Monte and Mike Evans (with Lear helping to develop and executive producer the show), Good Times was one of the early sitcoms to focus on a Black family.
- The Jeffersons. Though coming on the heels of Good Times, The Jeffersons arguably became the more popular of the two shows. Spun off from the Jefferson family that first appeared in All in the Family, The Jeffersons follows the titular family as they move into a deluxe apartment (in the sky, as the theme song goes).
- Drew Weisholtz
- 3 min
- 'All in the Family' This pioneering sitcom was Lear’s signature show and is considered by many to be the best sitcom ever. Airing for nine seasons from 1971 until 1979, Carroll O’Connor headlined this series about outspoken working-class bigot Archie Bunker, who took issue with anyone who didn’t share his views.
- 'Maude' Before a generation of fans grew up watching the late Bea Arthur on “The Golden Girls,” she shined on “Maude,” which was one of those “All in the Family” spinoffs.
- 'The Jeffersons' One of the hallmarks of Lear's shows was having an outspoken character, and “The Jeffersons” was no different in this landmark entry in his portfolio.
- 'Good Times' Before “The Jeffersons,” Lear focused on another Black family on “Good Times,” which spun off from “Maude” and ran for six seasons between 1974 and 1979.
Dec 6, 2023 · Norman Lear, who revolutionized prime-time TV with ‘All in the Family,’ dies. The multiple Emmy-Award-winning writer-producer and liberal political activist revolutionized prime-time ...
Norman Milton Lear (July 27, 1922 – December 5, 2023) was an American screenwriter and producer who produced, wrote, created, or developed over 100 shows. [1] Lear created and produced numerous popular 1970s sitcoms, including All in the Family (1971–1979), Maude (1972–1978), Sanford and Son (1972–1977), One Day at a Time (1975–1984), The Jeffersons (1975–1985), and Good Times ...
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Dec 6, 2023 · Norman Lear wasn’t just an epochal talent — he was highly prolific to boot. So much so that the legendary producer, who died Tuesday at 101, had at least one TV series, and as many as nine at ...
